All posts tagged YouTube

Whether you want to be the next Taylor Swift or the next Simon Cowell, a new iPhone app aims to get you there. Chosen is kind of a play-at-home “American Idol,” which lets you put yourself out there in front of your peers (via uploaded video, of course), or pass judgment on those who dare to do it (also via video, if you choose). Read More »

In case the “Beyoncé” Platinum Edition box set didn’t satisfy your overwhelming desire to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the pop superstar’s monumental surprise album drop, fear not, because Yoncé’s got you covered. Earlier today, Brooklyn’s official celebrity royals greeter released a short film on her YouTube channel called “Yours and Mine.”

The 11-minute-long black-and-white movie finds Beyoncé reflecting on her life, set against clips from the self-titled album’s string of videos and behind-the-scenes footage. “Yours and Mine” feels like an extension of both “Beyoncé,” as well as the singer’s HBO documentary from earlier this year, “Life Is But a Dream.” Read More »

What’s been your favorite music video of 2014? According to YouTube, the Internet fell in love with Katy Perry‘s ”Dark Horse,” featuring Juicy J, which earned the top spot on the video-sharing site’s list of most-watched videos from the past year. The site tallied the number of times the video was viewed from the day it was uploaded through November 30. “Dark Horse” won by a landslide, garnering over 703 million views since it was uploaded on February 20. And there’s clearly something behind Perry’s dance-pop sound and popularity – eight of the 10 top videos were from female pop artists (including two from Shakira!).

Click through to see the top 10 list and watch the videos. Read More »

Kim Kardashian may have tried to break the internet but K-pop star Psy has come the closest.

Since his breakout hit “Gangnam Style” debuted in July 2012, it has become the most watched video on YouTube to date, scoring over 2.1 billion (that’s billion with a ‘b’) views. While this feat is staggering in itself, Google posted a nugget on YouTube’s Google+ page on Monday about this accomplishment, saying that it’s been viewed so many times they’ve been required to “upgrade” the video site’s backend. When YouTube was first designed, it was never expected for a video to exceed 2,147,483,647 views because of how the counter software was originally coded. “It’s like a car odometer,” says YouTube spokesperson Matt McLernon. “Once it rolls over the last nine, it resets.” He said the company thought 2 billion would be enough and it wasn’t.

Exactly how did Google know they were in need of an upgrade? Read More »

Well, no, not really, but sort of. Even though “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” is currently on hiatus until February 2015, fans got a special treat in their YouTube feeds overnight: A web exclusive of the English-born Oliver sharing his thoughts on the bizarre American Thanksgiving tradition of “turkey pardoning.”

“Like a psychotic ex, we’re still sending you videos from time to time to remind you what you’re missing,” says Oliver at the top of the clip. In truth, this is a brilliant marketing ploy to keep Oliver and his HBO show fresh in our minds – not that we necessarily need it. Read More »

Deyes, 21, created the book as he continues to update his popular vlog “Pointless Blog,” where he posts videos of himself attempting to do complicated yoga with a friend, and getting made up by none other than pop star Ariana Grande. The vlog has more than 3 million subscribers, and Deyes is also a social-media star on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

“The Pointless Book,” with the subtitle “Started by Alfie Deyes and Finished by You,” invites readers to do exercises like filling out a map of the world with places visited, or drawing clothes on nude male and female figures. It is, as promised, pointless. But it’s already a bestseller in Deyes’s native U.K., with 300,000 copies of the book in print, his publisher told the WSJ.

Deyes discussed his book, approach to YouTube and vlogging and what’s next for him. Read More »

Earlier today, comedian Joan Rivers died due to complications stemming from a botched procedure last week. The 81-year-old spent a majority of her life in show business, breaking stand-up comedy rules every chance she got.

While recent generations may know her as the sharp-tongued fashion critic from E!’s “Fashion Police,” Rivers leaves behind a brilliant body of work from her years of stand-up and TV appearances, a handful of which lives on YouTube. Here are five vintage Joan Rivers clips that give just a hint at her comedic wit. Read More »

Los Angeles artist-producer Baron Von Luxxury has amassed fans this year thanks in part to his unauthorized remix of the Eagles’ 1976 hit “Hotel California.” He was inspired to make his futuristic “Luxxury Edit” of the song several years ago when he stumbled on its individual stems – the vocals, bass, percussion and lead guitar – online.

The growing availability of such song fragments has been a boon for artists and music lovers alike, offering a new way to listen to tired classics.

But last week the record company that co-owns the rights to the Eagles hit — Access Industries’ Warner Music Group — had the Luxxury Edit removed from SoundCloud, where it had been streamed for free about 300,000 times since January. Read More »

When Michelle Phan was in college, her goal was to finish with a job. But just in case she made her own safety net: a YouTube channel where she could share beauty tips. It would be the beginnings of her artist’s portfolio.

She now has millions of fans and her own makeup line.

The Journal’s Deborah Kan spoke with Phan recently about the secrets of branding and turning virtual fame into real profits. Read More »

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Speakeasy is a blog covering media, entertainment, celebrity and the arts. The publication is produced by Barbara Chai and Jonathan Welsh with contributions from the Wall Street Journal staff and others. Write to us at speakeasy@wsj.com or follow us on Twitter at @WSJSpeakeasy or individually @barbarachai.